Critic Reviews

While writer-director Martyn Burke seems to have taken liberties with the story, the spirit of the Gates-Jobs fight comes through vividly via the observations of the generals' more sympathetic lieutenants -- Apple's Steve Wozniak (Joey Slotnick) and Microsoft's Steve Ballmer (John DiMaggio). [28 Jun 1999, p.53]

As a film, "Pirates of Silicon Valley" is a rollicking ride with punchy performances by the principal players, Noah Wyle and Anthony Michael Hall. [18 Jun 1999]

Pirates of Silicon Valley is an amusement-park ride of a movie, a breezy trip through the ups and downs of the rivalry between Apple's Steve Jobs and Microsoft's Bill Gates. [19 Jun 1999, p.C1]

Soulful and marinated in a glaze of irony, "Pirates of Silicon Valley" is reminiscent of Larry Gelbart's "Barbarians at the Gate."

As it looks back over more than two decades of computer innovations, "Pirates" provides a welcome refresher in history that has transformed our lives. [19 Jun 1999, p.F8]

You will probably conclude that Microsoft is what revenge looks like to the kid who was never cool enough. You may wonder how such elegant machines ever emerged from such a wormy Apple.

Based on the out-of-print book “Fire in the Valley,” “Pirates” is a relatively faithful history of the rise of these two companies, and it’s worth watching if you’re at all interested in the local lore of Silicon Valley.

Pirates might have fared better as satire, the way screen adapter Larry Gelbart approached the takeover saga Barbarians at the Gate six years ago; instead, we have a moderately entertaining story whose emotional veracity is about as reliable as that chat-room correspondent who’s telling you she’s a knockout redhead with a Mensa IQ and can’t wait to meet you in real life.

Pirates of Silicon Valley takes a sledgehammer to Jobs' image. But for all Wyle's conviction and some juicy scenes, the docudrama remains largely inaccessible. [20 Jun 1999, p.F1]